Hodgson leaves Udinese

Udinese Calcio have parted ways with English coach Roy Hodgson less than six months after he took over at the Friuli stadium.

Zampa takes chargeHodgson, the sixth Serie A coaching casualty of the season, is believed to have left the club "by mutual consent" and his departure will be confirmed in an official announcement later on Monday. The club's goalkeeping coach, Alessandro Zampa, will take charge of the Serie A side for Tuesday's Coppa Italia tie against Parma AC.

Quoted in tabloidHodgson, the former coach of the Swiss national team, Internazionale FC and Blackburn Rovers FC, was quoted in the Daily Mail, an English tabloid, as saying he regretted taking over as Udinese coach in the summer, citing too much pressure.

Pozzo shockedUdinese spokesman Guglielmo Querini said on Monday that the quotes had left Hodgson in "a very difficult situation"- a point underlined when Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport he was hurt by the Englishman's remarks. "I am shocked by the declaration by Hodgson in the Daily Mail," Pozzo said. "It's not really English behaviour and it's hit me in the heart."

Talks on MondayHodgson, who met Pozzo for talks on Monday, denied the comments and said: "I have not spoken to this tabloid and certainly not with those words and I don't need this nonsense. I am here to do my best - this team is growing but there is still a lot of work to do."

Ninth in Serie AUdinese, who have won their last two matches and beat Serie A leaders Inter in the Coppa Italia, are ninth in the 18-team league standings with 18 points.

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